The present invention relates to a method and a system for supporting an airborne vehicle in space. The invention is particularly applicable for hovering an airborne vehicle at an altitude of over 50,000 feet above sea level, and for extensive periods of time such as one month or longer, but the invention could also advantageously be used for supporting an airborne vehicle at much lower altitudes and/or for shorter periods of time.
There are many applications, both military and civilian, for hovering an airborne vehicle, e.g., a payload-carrying platform, in space over a predetermined location. High-altitude hovering (e.g., above 50,000 feet) is usually effected by geostationary satellites, but such systems are extremely expensive to produce and to launch. Low-altitude hovering may be effected by helicopters or balloons, but the period of time for such hovering, as well as the altitude, is very limited.